Graef switches gears
BUTLER TWP — For much of his young life, Butler senior David Graef envisioned himself being a college football player. He was even considering a recent opportunity to play for Shippensburg University next year.
But all of that changed.
Graef recently signed a letter of intent to continue his academic and track and field career at Seton Hill University. He plans to major in biology.
He was a running back and defensive back on the Golden Tornado football team.
“It’s hard to give up football. I’ve been playing my whole life,” Graef said. “But I got banged up over the past couple of years and I’ve been doing well as a sprinter in track. I saw that’s where my future was.”
Graef ran the 100 meters, 200 meters and legs of the 4x100 and 4x400 relays for the Golden Tornado this season. His time of 22.16 seconds in the 200 — ran while winning that event at the WPIAL 3A Team Championships — was the fastest in the county this spring.
He also ran the 100 in 11.04 seconds, third fastest in the county this season.
“David is a tremendous sprinter,” Butler boys track and field coach Mike Seybert said. “He’s run on our 4x100 relay all four years. He’s only going to get better, now that he’s focusing on one sport.
“I expect him to take his running to a whole new level in college.”
Seton Hill finished eighth in the Atlantic 10 Men’s Track and Fielld Championships this spring. The Griffins are graduating two senior sprinters in Andrew Campbell and Joseph Piper. Jamal Johnson has been the team’s head coach for two years.
He’s already guided three Griffins to PSAC titles and seven school records were broken during Johnson’s first year on the job.
“i want to become the best athlete I can be at Seton Hill,” Graef said. “I’m hoping to run some 400 (meters) along with the 100 and 200. Within two years, I want to be running for a PSAC Championship in my respective events.
“Go to nationals, break some school records, I want to do all of those things. I feel like I’m good enough to reach those goals.”
Graef ran the third leg of the Tornado’s 4x100 relay this season. Sprint coach Fred Pinto said that was by design.
“He could have anchored it, but David’s exchanges are excellent and by having a guy as fast of him running the third leg, it puts less pressure on the anchor runner,” Pinto said.
“As hard as he works, David is ticketed for more success. He gets out on the track and makes things happen.”
